getting around

I don't know if this guy's comment had anything to do with it but apparently there is a stigma related to riding a bicycle in a lot of neighborhoods in the US: you ride one only if you can't afford a car or if you have lost your license. (If you're wearing spandex it's of course an entirely different thing.)

Thanksgiving at OTB

On Thanksgiving I naturally went and did some off-track betting. I believe this is what most people do. For those of you not so familiar with OTBs – they are gaming worlds for adults where you go to place your bets if you can't get to the track

Awkward in finland

These two things felt slightly awkward during my recent visit to Finland:

I've gotten so used to leaving a tip at restaurants that I felt somewhat uncomfortable not leaving one.


The cover of the main newspaper is dedicated to advertising.

President & Deodorant

This is what they sell at Union Square in Manhattan. Makes sense to me: it's going to get real' sweaty before Obama gets the Cap and Trade system passed.

Check

Folks in Finland: ask your granma about these, if you can. This is how I get payed for my work and this is how I pay my bills. Or more exactly: this is how my wife pays our bills - I haven't quite yet mastered the art of checkery.

A day at the Racetrack

Today I bring you special coverage from the Belmont horse racing track, NY city, where my father-in-law (everybody calls him Sunny because his always on such a good mood) kindly took me.

The day started with a hearty breakfast and some research on the racing paper.



The parking lot at the track is so big that you take a bus from your car to the entrance.


Sunny's whole posse was already waiting at the table. Although we were at the track we were in fact following "simulcasting" from other tracks on a little screen.


I got lucky right on the second race of the day - very lucky.


The food was plentiful.




Sunny kept his cool the whole day. Winning or loosing - you couldn't tell the difference on his face. Some people at the other tables were quite a bit rowdier.


Needless to say: betting on horses didn't turn out to be an ingenious way for making money.

Pennies

One Cent coins should absolutely not be in use any more. Their value is so low that there is no-one to bend down and pick them up off the pavement - not even in a city with plenty of people walking around asking for change.